You know, ever since the quarantine element of the pandemic ended, I feel like I’ve kind of neglected my Nintendo Switch. Over the last few months, the Switch has kind of become that old friend that you used to hang out with all the time and get into a bunch of stupid adventures with then suddenly you just stop. There’s no explanation. Things just… run their course. Maybe it’s because I played so much Animal Crossing during quarantine that the Switch gives me some COVID era PTSD or maybe it’s because I don’t play video games as much as I want to. I can’t explain it, but the Switch and I had kind of drifted apart.

Until now, that is.

I was feeling the void every time I would look at my Switch sitting in its charging docket like an athlete suited up for the big leagues but never getting the call-up. Honestly, it was tragic to behold. How could I let this happen to such a good friend?! Was I a crappy person?! A crappy gamer?! I couldn’t let something this heavy sit on my conscience like this, especially considering I’m still burdened by the stupid amount of money I currently owe Tom Nook.

So, I did what any person in that position would do. I picked up my friend, downloaded Hollow Knight, and started playing again. And it’s been lovely getting reacquainted with the Switch. Such a wonderful gaming system and Hollow Knight has been the perfect game to ease back into playing more. Not overly complex, a story (if you can describe as such) that seems to span more than a few hours, and it’s a good way to unwind after long days of work which I’ve been having plenty of lately.

But my reasoning for picking up the Switch again wasn’t just to be a good friend. No, I had an ulterior motive. An ulterior motive named Mario Golf Super Rush. I am irrationally excited about Mario Golf, I have been ever since I saw how fly Wario’s golf course wardrobe was. To quote Silk Sonic, Drip Drip.  That’s a cosplay I can get on board with. Look out New York Comic Con!

With the game set to come out next week, June 25^th, I thought it was time to pick up the Switch again and get back into my limited gaming. Honestly, it’s been great. While I may be preparing to give Yoshi and Luigi the business on the links, Hollow Knight has awakened my want to play other games. Once that’s completed I think it’s time to give Breathe of the Wild a legit play considering my last attempt was kind of half-assed and like a year ago. I also have Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity sitting on a shelf untouched which seems like a waste of a good game. Maybe I could finish Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 too. Then there’s the newly announced Metroid Dread that made me nostalgic for Super Metroid. Maybe I could continue to owe Tom Nook money for the rest of my life. Such a plethora of options. Needless to say, my Nintendo Switch passion has been reinvigorated.

Which has got me thinking about Mario Golf again.

There’s something to be said about these Mario games, whether Kart or Party, that just beg to be played with friends. I’ve played tons of solo Mario Kart but there’s nothing better than hitting a close friend or relative with a blue shell and passing them before they finish their third lap. It’s like pulling up alongside someone slowly while flashing the bird. It’s a statement! And Mario Golf looks like it could be providing more of that type of fun. This time with golf balls and Wario’s superb golf outfit. No, I’m not going to let this go. My guy looks tight.

I come to you Geeklings with an idea. An idea filled with fun, the internet, crazy golf outfits, and a ton of different Mario characters. Who would be in favor of an I Am Geek Mario Golf League? From what I understand we can only have four people playing at a time, or at least in one game, but it would be a blast to set up a time during the week and meet up on the Switch and play a few holes together. Build the community. Maybe even find a way to play on Twitch. But that’s thinking big, right now, I just want to play golf and avoid any Whomp traps which I’m sure there will be plenty of. And I want to do this with you guys.

So, who’s interested? Sound off in the comments or throw me a line over on Twitter @iamgeek32. Let’s get a list of people together and then maybe we can work out a schedule, hit the links together, and have ourselves some good ole fashion Mario-related fun. We can even start keeping score on the sight to give it a league atmosphere. How else will we be able to maintain bragging rights?! At the end of the day, isn’t that what we’re really doing this for?

 I’m here for this, and I hope you are too!